MLS Announces 2004 Schedule Dates and Opponents
Published on January 27, 2004 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK (Tuesday, January 27, 2004) - Dates and matchups for Major League Soccer's ninth season were announced today by MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis. Kicking off on Saturday, April 3 and ending on Saturday, October 16, the 2004 regular season schedule places an all-time high 90 percent of the League's matches on weekends or holidays (July 4). The 29-week schedule also allows for mid-week U.S. Open Cup match dates as well as various international games featuring MLS teams.
Each of the League's 10 clubs will play a total of 30 regular season games in 2004. Comprising 26 of 30 regular season contests for each team are four games (two home, two away) against each Intra-Conference opponent and a home-and-home match-up against the five clubs outside its Conference. The remaining four opponents (two home games, two away games) are determined based on competitive seeding, according to 2003 regular-season performances.
As announced last month, the 2004 Opening Day kicks off on Saturday, April 3, as the League's Defending MLS Cup Champion San Jose Earthquakes travel to Washington, D.C. to face off against D.C. United in the possible debut of 14-year-old Freddy Adu which will be televised live on ABC Sports beginning at 4:00 pm ET from RFK Stadium. Each of the remaining eight teams also take the field that evening. The remainder of the League's 2004 National Television Schedule - with contests televised on ESPN2, FOX Sports World / FOX Sports en Español and HDNet - and kickoff times for all 150 regular-season games will be announced at a later date.
Following the opening weekend, only four teams are in action on Saturday, April 10, during the Easter holiday. MLS returns to a full slate on Saturday, April 17, ensuring all 10 teams to play at home at some point during the first 14 days of the 2004 campaign.
The host venues for Major League Soccer's two marquee events - the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup 2004 - will be determined in the near future. The 2004 All-Star showcase is tentatively slated for July 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET (live on ABC Sports) while the ninth MLS title game will be played on Sunday, November 14, at 3:30 p.m. ET and also broadcast live on ABC Sports.
The Los Angeles Galaxy and the Colorado Rapids are the lone teams to host games on Sunday, July 4, continuing their successful Independence Day traditions that started back in the League's 1996 Inaugural Season and which consistently draw record crowds. D.C. United, Columbus and Kansas City each host games during the holiday weekend, on Saturday, July 3.
The first of three MLS Cup 2003 rematches occurs on Saturday, April 10, at Spartan Stadium, when Landon Donovan, coaching debutant Dominic Kinnear and the Defending Champion San Jose Earthquakes challenge the Eastern Conference Champion Chicago Fire and captain Chris Armas, who later host the Bay Area squad on Saturday, June 19 and Wednesday, August 18.
Other schedule highlights include Adu and D.C. United's first visits of 2004 to Los Angeles and then New York on consecutive weekends of April 10 and 17; Polish icon and new United Head Coach Peter Nowak faces his former Chicago mates for the first time on Saturday, April 24; the Dallas Burn return to the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, April 3, against the Colorado Rapids; D.C. United faces the MetroStars in the first of four Atlantic Cup battles at Giants Stadium on Saturday, April 17; the Crew Stadium fifth anniversary match vs. the New England Revolution on May 15; and the final weeks of the regular season feature a majority of intra-conference match-ups. The playoff format and schedule will be announced at a later date.
In all, MLS will play a record 90 percent of its regular season games on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or a holiday (July 4). Of these dates an all-time high 83 percent of the League's matches will be played on holidays or Saturdays, which has become the destination day for MLS Soccer Saturday matches.
The following is a look at additional noteworthy points that detail the 2004 MLS schedule:
The 2004 MLS regular season kicks off April 3 and ends October 16, making the League's ninth season one week shorter than the 2003 campaign (29 weeks compared to 30 weeks).
On opening day, April 3, ABC Sports presents the long-awaited professional debut of 14-year old phenom Freddy Adu, whose D.C. United cast is led by new head coach, Peter Nowak. In a contest between the only organizations to have captured multiple MLS Cup Championships, United hosts the Defending Champion San Jose Earthquakes at RFK Stadium at 4:00 p.m. ET.
The first MLS Cup 2003 rematch takes place one week later on Saturday, April 10, when the Earthquakes host the Chicago Fire in the first of three contests between the two teams in 2004.
The Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles Galaxy will host games on Sunday, July 4, a holiday that has fast become an MLS tradition, drawing record crowds throughout the League.
The schedule was designed with the fans' interest in mind, as 90 percent of the League's games in 2004 will take place on weekends and holidays. This total is the highest ever, as last year's campaign contained 89% weekend dates. Midweek matches are concentrated in the summer months when school is not in session.
Mid-week fixture dates for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will be announced by U.S. Soccer this spring. Other non-League competitions during 2004 include the CONCACAF Champions Cup and numerous international friendlies. MLS players will also appear in Olympic and World Cup qualifying competitions this year.
EASTERN CONFERENCE all-time record (pts)
D.C. United 119-103-22 (379)
Columbus Crew 109-111-24 (351)
MetroStars 102-125-17 (323)
Chicago Fire 97-61-23 (314)
New England Revolution 97-125-23 (314)
WESTERN CONFERENCE all-time record(pts)
Los Angeles Galaxy 132-87-25 (421)
Dallas Burn 109-114-21 (348)
San Jose Earthquakes 107-111-26 (347)
Kansas City Wizards 105-110-30 (345)
Colorado Rapids 103-118-23 (332)
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer features many top stars from the United States and around the world and is America's Division I men's outdoor professional soccer league. The ten teams that comprise MLS are: the Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, Dallas Burn, D.C. United, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy, MetroStars, New England Revolution and the Defending Champion San Jose Earthquakes.
The 2004 League and team schedules are available online at www.MLSnet.com. Following is the master schedule for the 2004 Major League Soccer regular season, along with team-by-team slates (home games in bold; schedule subject to change):
2004 MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
01/27/04
schedule subject to change
Saturday, April 3
San Jose at D.C. United 4:00 ABC
MetroStars at Columbus 7:30
Chicago at Kansas City 8:30
Colorado at Dallas 8:30
New England at Los Angeles 10:00
Saturday, April 10
Chicago at San Jose
D.C. United at Los Angeles
Saturday, April 17
D.C. United at MetroStars
San Jose at New England
Columbus at Kansas City
Dallas at Chicago
Los Angeles at Colorado
Saturday, April 24
Chicago at D.C. United
New England at MetroStars
Kansas City at Dallas
San Jose at Colorado
Columbus at Los Angeles
Saturday, May 1
Dallas at Columbus
Los Angeles at New England
Colorado at Kansas City
MetroStars at Chicago
D.C. United at San Jose
Friday, May 7
New England at Colorado
Saturday, May 8
Columbus at D.C. United
Chicago at Kansas City
Los Angeles at Dallas
MetroStars at San Jose
Saturday, May 15
Chicago at MetroStars
Kansas City at D.C. United
New England at Columbus
San Jose at Dallas
Colorado at Los Angeles
Wednesday, May 19
Los Angeles at D.C. United
Saturday, May 22
MetroStars at New England
Columbus at Chicago
Dallas at Kansas City
D.C. United at Colorado
Los Angeles at San Jose
Saturday, May 29
D.C. United at New England
San Jose at Columbus
Colorado at Chicago
Dallas at Los Angeles
Sunday, May 30
Kansas City at MetroStars
Wednesday, June 2
New England at Kansas City
Saturday, June 5
Columbus at New England
Dallas at MetroStars
D.C. United at Chicago
Wednesday, June 9
Kansas City at Colorado
Saturday, June 12
Colorado at D.C. United
Kansas City at Columbus
New England at Dallas
Chicago at Los Angeles
MetroStars at San Jose
Saturday, June 19
Columbus at D.C. United
Kansas City at New England
Los Angeles at MetroStars
San Jose at Chicago
Dallas at Colorado
Wednesday, June 23
MetroStars at Los Angeles
Saturday, June 26
Colorado at Columbus
MetroStars at New England
D.C. United at Dallas
Kansas City at San Jose
Sunday, June 27
Los Angeles at Chicago
Wednesday, June 30
Colorado at MetroStars
Saturday, July 3
Chicago at Columbus
MetroStars at D.C. United
Dallas at Kansas City
Sunday, July 4
New England at Colorado
San Jose at Los Angeles
Wednesday, July 7
Dallas at San Jose
Saturday, July 10
San Jose at MetroStars
Columbus at Dallas
D.C. United at Kansas City
New England at Chicago
Colorado at Los Angeles
Wednesday, July 14
Chicago at New England
Saturday, July 17
Chicago at MetroStars
Los Angeles at D.C. United
New England at Columbus
Kansas City at Dallas
Colorado at San Jose
Wednesday, July 28
Dallas at Columbus
MetroStars at Kansas City
Los Angeles at Colorado
Saturday, July 31
D.C. United at Dallas
MetroStars at Chicago
Columbus at Colorado
Kansas City at Los Angeles
San Jose at New England
Saturday, August 7
Columbus at New England
Colorado at Dallas
Kansas City at Chicago
D.C. United at San Jose
Sunday, August 8
Los Angeles at MetroStars
Wednesday, August 11
Colorado at D.C. United
New England at Dallas
Friday, August 13
San Jose at Kansas City
Saturday, August 14
Dallas at MetroStars
New England at D.C. United
Chicago at Colorado
Columbus at Los Angeles
Wednesday, August 18
Kansas City at Columbus
San Jose at Chicago
Saturday, August 21
D.C. United at Columbus
Kansas City at New England
MetroStars at Colorado
Chicago at Los Angeles
Dallas at San Jose
Friday, August 27
Los Angeles at Kansas City
Saturday, August 28
D.C. United at New England
Chicago at Dallas
Colorado at San Jose
Sunday, August 29
Columbus at MetroStars
Saturday, September 4
Los Angeles at Columbus
New England at San Jose
D.C. United at Chicago
MetroStars at Kansas City
Dallas at Colorado
Wednesday, September 8
Columbus at San Jose
Saturday, September 11
Dallas at D.C. United
New England at MetroStars
Kansas City at Colorado
San Jose at Los Angeles
Sunday, September 12
Columbus at Chicago
Saturday, September 18
Chicago at D.C. United
Colorado at New England
MetroStars at Columbus
Los Angeles at Dallas
San Jose at Kansas City
Saturday, September 25
D.C. United at Columbus
Colorado at Kansas City
MetroStars at Dallas
New England at Chicago
Los Angeles at San Jose
Saturday, October 2
Chicago at Columbus
Dallas at New England
D.C. United at MetroStars
San Jose at Colorado
Kansas City at Los Angeles
Saturday, October 9
Columbus at MetroStars
New England at D.C. United
Colorado at Chicago
Dallas at Los Angeles
Kansas City at San Jose
Saturday, October 16
Chicago at New England
MetroStars at D.C. United
Los Angeles at Kansas City
San Jose at Dallas
Columbus at Colorado
END REGULAR SEASON
2004 MLS Playoffs to follow
Dates, Sites and Times TBA
2004 CHICAGO FIRE SCHEDULE
DAY DATE OPPONENT
Sat. April 3 at Kansas City
Sat. April 10 at San Jose
Sat. April 17 Dallas
Sat. April 24 at D.C. United
Sat. May 1 MetroStars
Sat. May 8 at Kansas City
Sat. May 15 at MetroStars
Sat. May 22 Columbus
Sat. May 29 Colorado
Sat. June 5 D.C. United
Sat. June 12 at Los Angeles
Sat. June 19 San Jose
Sun. June 27 Los Angeles
Sat. July 3 at Columbus
Sat. July 10 New England
Wed. July 14 at New England
Sat. July 17 at MetroStars
Sat. July 31 MetroStars
Sat. August 7 Kansas City
Sat. August 14 at Colorado
Sat. August 18 San Jose
Wed. August 21 at Los Angeles
Sat. August 28 at Dallas
Sat. September 4 D.C. United
Sun. September 12 Columbus
Sat. September 18 at D.C. United
Sat. September 25 New England
Sat. October 2 at Columbus
Sat. October 9 Colorado
Sat. October 16 at New England
2004 COLORADO RAPIDS SCHEDULE
DAY DATE OPPONENT
Sat. April 3 at Dallas
Sat. April 17 Los Angeles
Sat. April 24 San Jose
Sat. May 1 at Kansas City
Fri. May 7 New England
Sat. May 15 at Los Angeles
Sat. May 22 D.C. United
Sat. May 29 at Chicago
Wed. June 9 Kansas City
Sat. June 12 at D.C. United
Sat. June 19 Dallas
Sat. June 26 at Columbus
Wed. June 30 at MetroStars
Sun. July 4 New England
Sat. July 10 at Los Angeles
Sat. July 17 at San Jose
Wed. July 28 Los Angeles
Sat. July 31 Columbus
Sat. August 7 at Dallas
Wed. August 11 at D.C. United
Sat. August 14 Chicago
Sat. August 21 MetroStars
Sat. August 28 at San Jose
Sat. September 4 Dallas
Sat. September 11 Kansas City
Sat. September 18 at New England
Sat. September 25 at Kansas City
Sat. October 2 San Jose
Sat. October 9 at Chicago
Sat. October 16 Columbus
2004 COLUMBUS CREW SCHEDULE
DAY DATE OPPONENT
Sat. April 3 MetroStars
Sat. April 17 at Kansas City
Sat. April 24 at Los Angeles
Sat. May 1 Dallas
Sat. May 8 at D.C. United
Sat. May 15 New England
Sat. May 22 at Chicago
Sat. May 29 San Jose
Sat. June 5 at New England
Sat. June 12 Kansas City
Sat. June 19 at D.C. United
Sat. June 26 Colorado
Sat. July 3 Chicago
Sat. July 10 at Dallas
Sat. July 17 New England
Wed. July 28 Dallas
Sat. July 31 at Colorado
Sat. August 7 at New England
Sat. August 14 at Los Angeles
Wed. August 18 Kansas City
Sat. August 21 D.C. United
Sun. August 29 at MetroStars
Sat. September 4 Los Angeles
Wed. September 8 at San Jose
Sun. September 12 at Chicago
Sat. September 18 MetroStars
Sat. September 25 D.C. United
Sat. October 2 Chicago
Sat. October 9 at MetroStars
Sat. October 16 at Colorado
2004 DALLAS BURN SCHEDULE
DAY DATE OPPONENT
Sat. April 3 Colorado
Sat. April 17 at Chicago
Sat. April 24 Kansas City
Sat. May 1 at Columbus
Sat. May 8 Los Angeles
Sat. May 15 San Jose
Sat. May 22 at Kansas City
Sat. May 29 at Los Angeles
Sat. June 5 at MetroStars
Sat. June 12 New England
Sat. June 19 at Colorado
Sat. June 26 D.C. United
Sat. July 3 at Kansas City
Wed. July 7 at San Jose
Sat. July 10 Columbus
Sat. July 17 Kansas City
Wed. July 28 at Columbus
Sat. July 31 D.C. United
Sat. August 7 Colorado
Wed. August 11 New England
Sat. August 14 at MetroStars
Sat. August 21 at San Jose
Sat. August 28 Chicago
Sat. September 4 at Colorado
Sat. September 11 at D.C. United
Sat. September 18 Los Angeles
Sat. September 25 MetroStars
Sat. October 2 at New England
Sat. October 9 at Los Angeles
Sat. October 16 San Jose
2004 D.C. UNITED SCHEDULE
DAY DATE OPPONENT
Sat. April 3 San Jose
Sat. April 10 at Los Angeles
Sat. April 17 at MetroStars
Sat. April 24 Chicago
Sat. May 1 at San Jose
Sat. May 8 Columbus
Sat. May 15 Kansas City
Wed. May 19 Los Angeles
Sat. May 22 at Colorado
Sat. May 29 at New England
Sat. June 5 at Chicago
Sat. June 12 Colorado
Sat. June 19 Columbus
Sat. June 26 at Dallas
Sat. July 3 MetroStars
Sat. July 10 at Kansas City
Sat. July 17 Los Angeles
Sat. July 31 at Dallas
Sat. August 7 at San Jose
Wed. August 11 Colorado
Sat. August 14 New England
Sat. August 21 at Columbus
Sat. August 28 at New England
Sat. September 4 at Chicago
Sat. September 11 Dallas
Sat. September 18 Chicago
Sat. September 25 at Columbus
Sat. October 2 at MetroStars
Sat. October 9 New England
Sat. October 16 MetroStars
2004 KANSAS CITY WIZARDS SCHEDULE
DAY DATE OPPONENT
Sat. April 3 Chicago
Sat. April 17 Columbus
Sat. April 24 at Dallas
Sat. May 1 Colorado
Sat. May 8 Chicago
Sat. May 15 at D.C. United
Sat. May 22 Dallas
Sat. May 30 at MetroStars
Wed. June 2 New England
Wed. June 9 at Colorado
Sat. June 12 at Columbus
Sat. June 19 at New England
Sat. June 26 at San Jose
Sat. July 3 Dallas
Sat. July 10 D.C. United
Sat. July 17 at Dallas
Wed. July 28 MetroStars
Sat. July 31 at Los Angeles
Sat. August 7 at Chicago
Fri. August 13 San Jose
Wed. August 18 at Columbus
Sat. August 21 at New England
Fri. August 27 Los Angeles
Sat. September 4 MetroStars
Sat. September 11 at Colorado
Sat. September 18 San Jose
Sat. September 25 Colorado
Sat. October 2 at Los Angeles
Sat. October 9 at San Jose
Sat. October 16 Los Angeles
2004 LOS ANGELES GALAXY SCHEDULE
DAY DATE OPPONENT
Sat. April 3 New England
Sat. April 10 D.C. United
Sat. April 17 at Colorado
Sat. April 24 Columbus
Sat. May 1 at New England
Sat. May 8 at Dallas
Sat. May 15 Colorado
Web. May 19 at D.C. United
Sat. May 22 at San Jose
Sat. May 29 Dallas
Sat. June 12 Chicago
Sat. June 19 at MetroStars
Wed. June 23 MetroStars
Sun. June 27 at Chicago
Sun. July 4 San Jose
Sat. July 10 Colorado
Sat. July 17 at D.C. United
Wed. July 28 at Colorado
Sat. July 31 Kansas City
Sun. August 8 at MetroStars
Sat. August 14 Columbus
Sat. August 21 Chicago
Fri. August 27 at Kansas City
Sat. September 4 at Columbus
Sat. September 11 San Jose
Sat. September 18 at Dallas
Sat. September 25 at San Jose
Sat. October 2 Kansas City
Sat. October 9 Dallas
Sat. October 16 at Kansas City
2004 METROSTARS SCHEDULE
DAY DATE OPPONENT
Sat. April 3 at Columbus
Sat. April 17 D.C. United
Sat. April 24 New England
Sat. May 1 at Chicago
Sat. May 8 at San Jose
Sat. May 15 Chicago
Sat. May 22 at New England
Sun. May 30 Kansas City
Sat. June 5 Dallas
Sat. June 12 at San Jose
Sat. June 19 Los Angeles
Wed. June 23 at Los Angeles
Sat. June 26 at New England
Wed. June 30 Colorado
Sat. July 3 at D.C. United
Sat. July 10 San Jose
Sat. July 17 Chicago
Wed. July 28 at Kansas City
Sat. July 31 at Chicago
Sun. August 8 Los Angeles
Sat. August 14 Dallas
Sat. August 21 at Colorado
Sun. August 29 Columbus
Sat. September 4 at Kansas City
Sat. September 11 New England
Sat. September 18 at Columbus
Sat. September 25 at Dallas
Sat. October 2 D.C. United
Sat. October 9 Columbus
Sat. October 16 at D.C. United
2004 NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION SCHEDULE
DAY DATE OPPONENT
Sat. April 3 at Los Angeles
Sat. April 17 San Jose
Sat. April 24 at MetroStars
Sat. May 1 Los Angeles
Sat. May 7 at Colorado
Sun. May 15 at Columbus
Sat. May 22 MetroStars
Sat. May 29 D.C. United
Wed. June 2 at Kansas City
Sat. June 5 Columbus
Sat. June 12 at Dallas
Sat. June 19 Kansas City
Sat. June 26 MetroStars
Sun. July 4 at Colorado
Sat. July 10 at Chicago
Wed. July 14 Chicago
Sat. July 17 at Columbus
Sat. July 31 San Jose
Sat. August 7 Columbus
Wed. August 11 at Dallas
Sat. August 14 at D.C. United
Sat. August 21 Kansas City
Sat. August 28 D.C. United
Sat. September 4 at San Jose
Sat. September 11 at MetroStars
Sat. September 18 Colorado
Sat. September 25 at Chicago
Sat. October 2 Dallas
Sat. October 9 at D.C. United
Sat. October 16 Chicago
2004 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES SCHEDULE
DAY DATE OPPONENT
Sat. April 3 at D.C. United ABC
Sat. April 10 Chicago
Sat. April 17 at New England
Sat. April 24 at Colorado
Sat. May 1 D.C. United
Sat. May 8 MetroStars
Sat. May 15 at Dallas
Sat. May 22 Los Angeles
Sat. May 29 at Columbus
Sat. June 12 MetroStars
Sat. June 19 at Chicago
Sat. June 26 Kansas City
Sun. July 4 at Los Angeles
Wed. July 7 Dallas
Sat. July 10 at MetroStars
Sat. July 17 Colorado
Sat. July 31 at New England
Sat. August 7 D.C. United
Fri. August 13 at Kansas City
Wed. August 18 at Chicago
Sat. August 21 Dallas
Sat. August 28 Colorado
Sat. September 4 New England
Wed. September 8 Columbus
Sat. September 11 at Los Angeles
Sat. September 18 at Kansas City
Sat. September 25 Los Angeles
Sat. October 2 at Colorado
Sat. October 9 Kansas City
Sat. October 16 at Dallas
Major League Soccer Stories from January 27, 2004
- Earthquakes Announce 2004 Schedule - San Jose Earthquakes
- Columbus Crew Announces 2004 Season Schedule - Columbus Crew SC
- Dallas Burn Releases 2004 Schedule - FC Dallas
- Igor Simutenkov Inks New Deal with Wizards - Sporting Kansas City
- Revolution Announces 2004 MLS Schedule - New England Revolution
- Chicago Fire Releases 2004 MLS Regular Season Schedule - Chicago Fire FC
- MetroStars 2004 schedule unveiled - Red Bull New York
- Galaxy announce 2004 schedule - LA Galaxy
- D.C. United Unveils 2004 MLS Schedule - D.C. United
- Wizards 2004 Schedule Filled with Compelling Match-ups, Home Opener April 3rd - Sporting Kansas City
- MLS Announces 2004 Schedule Dates and Opponents - MLS
- Midfielder Andy Williams Rejoins Chicago Fire - Chicago Fire FC
- Former MLS and U.S. National Team Star Alexi Lalas Named President and General Manager of Earthquake - San Jose Earthquakes
- MLS Subject to FIFA-regulated Player Transfer Windows - MLS
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